October
 Has homecoming 2009 been a success?
 Although not every Homecoming project in which I was involved actually went ahead, my own business has certainly benefited from additional visitors from around the world.
Most notably, I have worked with more ancestral visitors this year than in any other, and have guided many small groups by car who wanted to explore the land of their family. Whether it was the great Keiths of Dunnottar Castle - yes, my clients really were related to those Keiths - or much humbler connections to farms and villages, these visitors had much in common. Most were visiting Scotland this year because of Homecoming and its publicity, and all felt an amazing connection with the country, and, in particular, with the places where their ancestors had lived and worked. Many had also been part of The Gathering in Edinburgh before venturing north to Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire.
I do hope we will build on the success of this with perhaps a second Homecoming for ‘Bannockburn year’ 2014. However, I do also hope that we learn from 2009, apply that knowledge to future events, perhaps involving tourism businesses at all levels and stages.
Elma McMenemy, Tourism Consultant and Blue Badge Tourist Guide
 I think it made a significant difference. We had far more visitors this year than in the past. Last year was our best year since we opened five years ago and we had 5500 visitors and I expect we will be up by 25% this year.
It was a major event with people returning to Scotland to visit their relatives and coming to places like Glen Garioch during their stay. We had people from all over the world and the most recent names in the visitors’ book show they were from America, Germany, New Zealand, France, Brazil, Belgium, England and Zimbabwe. We do normally have international visitors but we have had far more this year.
It would be great if there could be something similar because it definitely has an impact on places like this.
Kenny Grant, Head Distiller, Glen Garioch Distillery, Oldmeldrum
 Homecoming 2009 has very little impact on us. We got no bigger a response than normal from overseas this year and the overall attendance was marginally down. Although we had good weather at Braemar there was heavy rain elsewhere and that may have an impact.
The main problem as far as Games were concerned was The Gathering in Edinburgh which was advertised dramatically and obviously to the detriment of others. It certainly did not help to boost our attendance.
“I think it would be fantastic if they promoted the traditional events instead of causing them increasing problems because of bureaucracy and red tape. They should try to help the traditional events but each year the secretary’s job and everyone else’s jobs are becoming more and more difficult. I am sure every games secretary would tell you the same story – that more bureaucracy is the bugbear.
Bill Meston, Secretary Braemar Royal Highland Society
 Having taken over the running of the Tor Na Coille Hotel in early August it’s difficult to say if Homecoming 2009 can be deemed a success from my point of view. I feel the vision of Homecoming would have had an extremely positive influence on my and other hotels throughout 2009.
This said it’s quite discouraging to see that Banchory, set in the heart of Royal Deeside and one of Scotland’s prominent visitor destinations, did not host any Homecoming Scotland events. Had Homecoming been more prominent in my area, I am sure there would have been even more of an increase in overseas visitors to established visitor attractions including the Deeside Trail, the Castle and Whisky trail and the smaller independent attractions.
It seems that there is an increase in Scots holidaying in Scotland and the desire to explore our own culture has been heightened by Homecoming 2009, hopefully the effects will be felt for many years to come both to us natives and our friends from overseas.
Peter D. Ferguson, Tor Na Coille Hotel
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